Story+1999-09-30+Chicago,+IL

´´(sings ‘Take Me to the River)....I’m searching....is there anybody searching out there ? (cheers).....that’s right, that’s right.....and I wanna go to that river tonight, that river of life .....and that river of love....that river of hope.....and faith.....and sexual healing.....I wanna go to that river tonight and I want you to go with me (cheers).....because I need to go with you ....because you can’t get there by yourself.....you might think you can.....but in the end....you can’t get to those things..... by yourself.....now, I found myself as a young man......I was standing in front of a dark grove of trees.....and I was frightened to pass through those trees .....even though I knew that the river of life, the river of meaningful life.....was waiting on the other side....river of love.....and of cold beer.....at a reasonable price (cheers)....but I couldn’t get there because I was paralyzed....by my own insecurities and fear....my legs were like stone, my arms were like lead.....and I thought that I’d never get to that destination .....when all of a sudden through the woods I saw a gypsy woman and I came forth and I told her my problem.....she said ‘Well, son....the thing is.....you’ve got to have help and companionship ....to get to those things on the other side.....and to do that, you got to give it up, you got to surrender.....what you need, son, is you need a band’.....and that’s why I’d like to introduce tonight the Dean of the University of Musical Perversity, Secretary of Intelligence, on the piano, Professor Roy Bittan.....with me at the riverside....Secretary of faith and friendship, Silvio, Silvio, wherefore art thou, Silvio....star of the Sopranos, on the guitar, Little Steve Van Zandt.....the godbrother....foundation of the E Street nation, southern man, Mr.Garry Tallent on the bass....with me at the riverside....Secretary of syncopation, Minister of the big beat, star of late night television, ladies and gentlemen....Mighty Max Weinberg on the drums....with me at the riverside, Secretary of heart, spirit , godfather of the guitar, Mr.Nils Lofgren.....standing....with me at the riverside, my brother, Minister of mystery....and all things unfathomable....in my soul....Phantom Dan Federici on the organ....with me at the riverside....now, brunettes are fine, blondes are fun but when it comes to getting a dirty job done, it takes a (crowd : ´Red headed woman´) yeah, man, I´m talking about a (crowd : ´Red headed woman´) oh, man, I´m searching for a (crowd : ´Red headed woman´) yeah, now, I´m talking ´bout a (crowd : ´Red headed woman´) oh, man, I´ve got to have a (crowd : ´Red headed woman´) said now I´m searching for a (crowd : ´Red headed woman´) First Lady of love and Secretary of sweet harmony....on the guitar, Miss Patti Scialfa, on the guitar and vocals....sing it, baby, sing it (Patti sings a bit of ‘Rumble Doll’)....thank you, baby....had to get my baby.....and now....I could see the riverlines were filled with people as I looked around, baby.....I saw the hands in the air, look....but....but.....but there was still something missing.....something essential.....something very big....now I want to introduce tonight the Minister of soul, the Secretary of the brotherhood.....the Emperor of all E Street....do I have to say his name ?....do I have to say his name ?....say who ?....say who ?....say who ?....say who ?....say who ?....say who ?....say who ?....say who ?....say who ?....say who ?....say who ?....say who ?....say who ?....say who ?....say who ?....say who ?.....”
 * 30.09.99 Chicago, Ill., middle of ‘Tenth Avenue Freeze Out’**

´´Chicago !....I did say ´Chicago´ !....say it for the last time....Chicago !....my kind of town.... but everywhere I’ve traveled, I’ve seen people lost in the wilderness....I´ve seen people lost in bitterness....I´ve seen people lost in loneliness....and in this town, as I´ve traveled, as I´ve walked the streets of your beautiful city, ladies and gentlemen, I´ve seen people lost in all them cows, lost in the pizza, lost....in Mike Ditka memorabilia....but I´m here tonight, I´m here tonight on a mission of redemption, on a search-and-rescue mission, if you´ve been downsized, stigmatised, retropsychedelicized, analyzed, Pokemonized, pass-that-tax-cut-for-the-rich-Republicanised, it ain´t too late to repent, I’m here to re-educate, to rededicate, to reconfiscate, to resuscitate, to reindoctrinate, to resexualate, to reliberate, to recombobolate with the power, with the glory, with the power, with the glory, with the promise, with the mystery, with the majesty, with the ministry of rock and roll !....you´re not listening to me ! ...with the power and the glory, with the promise, with the majesty, with the mystery, with the foolishness, with the ministry of rock and roll !....it´s alive !....it´s alive !....it´s alive !.... unlike my competitors, I shall not, I will not, I cannot promise you life everlasting but I can promise you life.....right now !...and all you gotta do is raise your hand and say ‘I’.....”
 * 30.09.99 Chicago, Ill., middle of ´Light of Day´**

//Compiled by : Johanna Pirttijärvi//